He is the only one we have adopted from the rescue ourselves in the four years we have been running.
I received a phone call from a young man saying he could no longer keep his dog as he was working and the stress from worrying about his dog and wanting to get back for him was too much. He had been homeless with his dog and now had a flat and a job and the dog was not used to being left.
The dog warden also contacted me about the situation and said it must be bad as he doted on the dog, she arranged to be there when I picked him up.
I asked how big he was ( I dread tall long legged ones) he said he was a short legged old fashioned sort, mmm, I was still not sure.
He also said he was ball obsessed, not very good with other dogs and cats but would ignore them if he had his ball. I asked about children." He's not really used to them and he could catch their hand when he's playing with his ball." He answered." And he has his own hoodie!"
All this turned out to be a pretty good description.
I arrived at the flat, Caroline the dog warden was already there, I went inside and the owner called Lexus in.
You never know what you are going to get in this situation but I shall never forget my first sight of Lexus.
Round the corner trotted one of the shortest Staffords I have ever seen with a brown patch over one eye.
I put him in the crate in the back of the car whilst Caroline comforted his heart broken owner, getting a soggy shoulder in the process.
He barked and cried all the way to the kennels until , glancing in the rear view mirror I saw with horror him emerge from the top of the crate. I was on a main road I couldn't stop but I need not have worried it turned out there were some balls in the back of the car and that was what he was after!
He was not happy in kennels. He barked continually and suffered several bouts of kennel cough from making his throat sore. I would go in and walk him where I discovered he was happy with a game of football, played with a flat ball.
Unfortunately, no home was forthcoming and he remained in kennels for six months.
Eventually a space came up with us and I brought him home. Dave, my husband liked him and we couldn't understand why no-one wanted him.
One lady came to see him and was dismayed when he reversed into her for a stroke commenting that she would prefer his other end. Then no-one seemed to "get" his football game like we did. "No don't pick it up, wait till he puts it down, then kick it."
Then it was time for our annual holiday, I couldn't bear to put him back in kennels, so we took Spryte and him with us. When this was a success the seeds were sown to make him part of our family, eventually Dave signed the paperwork, gave the full donation and he was officially ours.
He and Khan adore each other lying around on the sofas together or playing. One year they knocked the Christmas tree over! Despite initial signs we do have to watch him and Spryte as although they love each other most of the time they will fight at certain trigger moments.
He loves and is brilliant at football. This is his main exercise which he much prefers to a walk. Like any professional footballer he is prone to injuries because he throws himself in without counting the cost! At first we were always taking him to the vet with suspected broken bones only for him to make a miraculous recovery! We are wiser now.
Like his predecessors, Sam and Josh he is a terrible scrounger, resulting in upset tums. One day he even ate the soap off the side of the bath!
He could play Bullseye in Oliver Twist.
He loves a lap in the evening being quite specific who he wants to cuddle up with.
He bounds through the back door when coming in from the garden at mealtimes and immediately starts barking thus upsetting all the other dogs and teaching them bad habits.
He always goes up to the other dogs crates causing a great commotion, you can have your back to him but you know who it is! "Lexus!"
And he makes the most extraordinary noises even for a Staffie, so people wonder what it is.
All in all he is a character. He has wickedness and
faithfulness in equal measures. He stole a mince pie the other day when I had turned my back for a second but I also found him sitting on my feet as I distractedly wrote a late card.
As far as I am concerned he is everything a Staff should be and I am so glad he is ours.
He was not happy in kennels. He barked continually and suffered several bouts of kennel cough from making his throat sore. I would go in and walk him where I discovered he was happy with a game of football, played with a flat ball.
Unfortunately, no home was forthcoming and he remained in kennels for six months.
Eventually a space came up with us and I brought him home. Dave, my husband liked him and we couldn't understand why no-one wanted him.
One lady came to see him and was dismayed when he reversed into her for a stroke commenting that she would prefer his other end. Then no-one seemed to "get" his football game like we did. "No don't pick it up, wait till he puts it down, then kick it."
Then it was time for our annual holiday, I couldn't bear to put him back in kennels, so we took Spryte and him with us. When this was a success the seeds were sown to make him part of our family, eventually Dave signed the paperwork, gave the full donation and he was officially ours.
He and Khan adore each other lying around on the sofas together or playing. One year they knocked the Christmas tree over! Despite initial signs we do have to watch him and Spryte as although they love each other most of the time they will fight at certain trigger moments.
He loves and is brilliant at football. This is his main exercise which he much prefers to a walk. Like any professional footballer he is prone to injuries because he throws himself in without counting the cost! At first we were always taking him to the vet with suspected broken bones only for him to make a miraculous recovery! We are wiser now.
Like his predecessors, Sam and Josh he is a terrible scrounger, resulting in upset tums. One day he even ate the soap off the side of the bath!
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| Sleeping with Khan |
He loves a lap in the evening being quite specific who he wants to cuddle up with.
He bounds through the back door when coming in from the garden at mealtimes and immediately starts barking thus upsetting all the other dogs and teaching them bad habits.
He always goes up to the other dogs crates causing a great commotion, you can have your back to him but you know who it is! "Lexus!"
And he makes the most extraordinary noises even for a Staffie, so people wonder what it is.
All in all he is a character. He has wickedness and
faithfulness in equal measures. He stole a mince pie the other day when I had turned my back for a second but I also found him sitting on my feet as I distractedly wrote a late card.
As far as I am concerned he is everything a Staff should be and I am so glad he is ours.
What a real talent you have for conveying the spirit of Staffydom. There were so many habits and traits in your piece that I recognised in the ownership of our peculiar dogs; in fact your blog would be an admirable advertisement for adopting a Staffy. Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteGareth